'I'm choosy and temperamental'

Is Harsh Chaya really as interfering and demanding on the sets as he's made out to be? Gita Hari finds out.

How have you changed as an actor since your Hasratein days?A creative person doesn't stop growing. I've definitely improved my craft but I'm still learning. Basically, I don't belong to the glamour industry. I believe in doing my work and keeping to myself and that's often looked upon as being snobbish.

You were never media savvy. What's made you open up after all these years?Yes, of late I've been expanding my interaction with people because I've realised that if you want to exist in this industry, you have to adapt to it.

It is important to be in the news but for the right things. Are you very choosy about the production houses you work with? Will you work with Balaji Telefilms?Well, I'm quite choosy and temperamental. Who isn't?

As for the work I do, I don't really care which production house it comes from. I will go for it if it's what I want to do. It's a conscious choice though I must admit it does keep me unemployed most of the time.

You were apparently quitting Ghar Ek Sapna. What's you equation with its director, Ajai Sinha? Everything has been sorted out and I am still very much a part of the show.

What's it like, playing Dushyant inThodi si Zameen, Thoda sa Aasman? Trust me, it's fun to play nasty. There is more scope to showcase your creativity as an actor.

How has it been working with Smriti Iraani, the producer of the serial?Smriti has tried to make Thodi si.. different from the regular soaps on television and it's a commendable effort.

It's a huge risk that she's taken because a lot of money is at stake and I admire her for it.

What do you think of the quality of the present shows on television?The whole scenario has changed. According to me, when the story of any serial ends, it should be taken off air. Running it for seven or eight years is a sign of weakness - like holding on to a pair of crutches.

The youngest character in such serials must be a good 100 years old while the oldest will easily be 400 years old.. I think it's a ridiculous state of things.

Given a choice, would you pick films or television?Let's not kid ourselves. If I get enough work and good roles in movies, I'll definitely quit television. Unless of course, I'm offered an obnoxious amount of money to stay back.